Islamic State gains in Syria, controls 40% of Iraq's wheat-producing land

By Dustin M Braden - 13 Aug '14 12:53PM

The Islamic State has continued its lightening expansion throughout Syria and Iraq, claiming new territory in Syria along the Turkish border, while the United Nations estimates that the Islamic State controls Iraqi territory where 40 percent of Iraq's wheat is grown.

Reuters reports the towns were seized in the Syrian province of Aleppo. The captured towns include Turkmen Barah and Akhtarin. IS lost 40 fighters as it made those gains.

These gains only increase the reach of IS, which has been consolidating its control over its territorial gains. In the Syrian province of Raqqa, IS has seized control of the largest city, Raqqa, and is close to dislodged the Syrian military from an airbase in the province. It is the last position the Syrian military controls in the area.

A different Reuters reports highlights the fact that in addition to the seizure of numerous oil fields and refineries, IS has seized large swathes of Iraq's most fertile land.

IS has not only taken control of this land, they have also gained access to a number of grain storages. Reuters says that IS is taking this grain and making it available in the market place at low rates to build popular support for their brutal rule, which has seen women raped and men crucified.

It has even been said that IS has tried to smuggle the wheat into areas controlled by the Iraqi military so that they can sell it at marked-up prices. IS would then take those funds and use them to bankroll their military efforts.

The capture of so much fertile territory by IS has sparked worries about food shortages in the rest of the country. An Iraqi agricultural official estimated that 30 percent of Iraq's total food production is currently under threat by IS.

The diversification into the food business is the latest example of IS' business acumen. They already make substantial amounts of money by selling oil on the black market. They also sell women and children they have captured into slavery. Additionally, the group imposes taxes on those who were unable to escape before they took control of an area.